Chakor is back to Coimbatore for its third edition of Woven love stories

Chakor is an Ahmedabad-based brand that has always valued its ties with the rich and deep-rooted Indian tradition through its gorgeous collection of handcrafted saris and apparel created by skilled weavers and artisans from Kutch, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Chanderi, Maheshwar, Varanasi and Jaipur. The label first made its debut in Coimbatore in 2017 and making their latest outing their third pop-up in the city. “In terms of design and aesthetics, the city prefers sober and elegant hues rather than loud pieces,”says designer, Nikita Mehta.

Beloved Bhujodi

New for this year is the Bhujodi collection, that has its origins dating back five-hundred-years. “Bhujodi is a weaving technique that is widely used in the Kutch region to create intricate patterns on the surface of the textile,” explains Nikita. With materials locally sourced around Bhuj, the collection includes kurta sets with Bandhani tie and dye motifs along with ready-made blouses.

Patola ikat

Setting the tone

Apart from this line, Chakor will also be exhibiting a wide range of patola, ajrakh and silk collections featuring tussar and Chanderi. “We conduct our own design interventions, which includes providing motifs, colour combinations and placements. We give to weaver and they would weave the product as per our specification.” The brand also uses combines of two crafts — ajrakh and bandhani — in the collections.

Tussar silk

Requisite for revival

Attempting to revive the dying craft, the brand hopes to encourage weavers by promoting handlooms, restoring traditional hand-based techniques and translating them into contemporary designs.